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A man accused of a series of brick-and-mortar attacks at an LGBT bar in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood for “revenge” was arrested at his home just a block away.
Sean Kuilan, 34, was charged with three counts of criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon, each after rocks were thrown at the window of the VERS bar last week. He has yet to be charged with a hate crime.
NYPD Chief Detectives James Essig told the New York Post that Kuilan allegedly threw the rocks multiple times due to a feud a girlfriend had with the bar.
In short, what he says [is] he knows a girl who had a problem with one of the guys in the bar and he “revenged,” Essig said. “At the moment we have no reason to believe that this is the case [a hate crime].’
It comes after police released video of the suspect throwing a rock at the bar’s window last weekend. Owner David DeParolesa said it was the fourth time his location has fallen victim to recent hate attacks.
Kuilan was arrested Tuesday afternoon at his home just a block from the bar near 9th Avenue, ABC reports.
DeParolesa said he was pleased that police were able to make an arrest, but is concerned that the suspect did not act alone.
“I really hope it’s just this one person and we can close the book — I’m not sure it does,” he told the Post.
Kuilan (center) pictured walking into Central Booking today
He was arrested and charged with criminal mischief for throwing a rock through a Hells Kitchen bar on multiple occasions
Police have arrested Sean Kuilan, 34 (center), in connection with a series of attacks targeting the VERS LGBT bar in NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood
Kuilan was charged with three counts of criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon each for three stone assault charges against the bar
Police said de Kuilan told them he carried out the attacks because of an alleged feud a girlfriend had with the bar
The footage showed Kuilan running away from the scene before running back and taking another spike. Pictured: Kuilan throws the rock at a window while people were inside
The police noted that the crimes against VERS took place on November 13, 15 and 19.
During the first incident, police said Kuilan threw a rock in the front window of the LGBT bar, where they were called at around 5:35 p.m.
Two days later, police received another call that a stone had been thrown at the bar window at 6:40 pm, damaging it. As in the previous attack, there were no injuries.
Then came Saturday’s incident where another rock was thrown at the unbreakable window, this time later in the evening at 9:57 p.m.
On Monday, police also released video of the suspect shopping at a convenience store the day the latest incident took place.
The NYPD had said there was a reward of up to $3,500 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the suspect was arrested as a result of a tip from the community. He was booked into the NYPD’s 7th Precinct.
Police officials said the investigation is still ongoing and they are yet to release any further information about the suspect in custody.
In response to the latest attack on his establishment, DeProlesa said he considered possible hate crimes when he first opened the bar in July and decided to install unbreakable windows.
It seemed like the right decision as the rock the man threw was stopped by the glass and meant no one was hurt.
Restaurant owner David DeProlesa said the attack was the fourth this week and he had prepared for them to happen when the bar opened in July. Pictured: Kuilan in a convenience store on the day of Saturday’s attack
Surveillance footage revealed Kuilan plowing a brick in front of the window of Manhattan bar FRESH in Hell’s Kitchen while people sat inside
The police noted that the crimes against VERS took place on November 13, 15 and 19
Saturday’s attack was his third at the establishment in a week that eventually damaged the unbreakable windshield
Since the incident, the NYPD has strengthened its presence in the area and remains on high alert for possible hate crimes following the deadly shooting in Colorado Springs and a plan to attack synagogues across the city this weekend.
“I have directed the New York State Police to step up monitoring and increase support for communities that may be the target of hate crimes,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
“Here in New York, we do not tolerate violence or bigotry against any community. We stand united against hate – today and every day.”
The LGBTQ community was in shock this weekend after a gunman entered a gay nightclub in Colorado Spring and fired an unknown number of bullets from his AR-15 style long rifle.
Two heroic patrons were able to bring the gunman to the ground after he killed five people and wounded another 35.
“Their actions clearly saved lives,” police chief Adrian Vasquez said at a news conference Sunday morning, noting that another unidentified firearm had been found at the scene.
Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, was arrested at the scene and is now in protective custody at a local hospital for unknown injuries.
Sean Kuilan is a perpetrator who walked into Central Booking after being arrested and charged
People hold a vigil at a makeshift memorial near Club Q nightclub after the horror shooting on Sunday night
Anderson Lee Aldrich is shown on the left in a family photo and on the right in a June 2021 livestream where he threatened to blow up a house where his mother was renting a room. He is now charged with five counts of murder
Meanwhile, New York City officials have reported 551 hate crimes so far this year, up 16 percent from the same time in 2021.
Statistics showed that 46 hate crimes were reported last month – three more than the same period last year.
The Jewish community was hardest hit, with 20 incidents reported last month.
Anti-Semitic hatred is on the NYPD’s top list of concerns, especially after a man planned to build synagogues in the city last week.
Christopher Brown, 21, has since been arrested after tweeting anti-Semitic threats to NYC synagogues.
He was arrested Saturday at Penn Station along with his 22-year-old accomplice Matthew Mahrer.
Overall crime in the Big Apple is up 29.1 percent from last year
Along with an increase in hate crimes, the Big Apple has seen an increase in violent crime.
According to the NYPD, overall crime in New York City is up 29.1 percent from last year, with felonies, rapes and robberies all increasing in double digits. The number of murders fell by 14.8 percent and the number of shootings by 12.5 percent.
Crimes are also up by nearly 14 percent, with police recording 22,319 cases so far this year, and rapes are up nearly 11 percent.
The number of homicides and shooting victims fell by 14.4 and 13.6 percent, respectively.
The city’s transportation system looks set to bear the brunt of rising crime, with about 1,865 reported so far in 2022, a 41.7 percent spike from last year.